cat (esp. the domestic cat, Felis catus); shamisen; geisha; wheelbarrow; clay bed-warmer; bottom; submissive partner of a homosexual relationship
quick; swift; nimble; quick (understanding, judgement, etc.); alert; prompt
I; me; self-centered man; egotistical man; pompous man
treatment; service; handling (of a machine, tool, etc.); operation; treating as; treating like
with all one's strength; with all one's might
(right at the) side; just beside
to slip through; to make one's way through quickly
dropping; losing; missing item; something one forgot to write down; trap; wooden protrusion from a Japanese door frame that fits a hole in the threshold, acting as a lock when closed; conclusion (of a speech, etc.)
horizontal (as opposed to vertical); lying down; side-to-side (as opposed to front-to-back); width; side (of a box, etc.); beside
state; state of affairs; appearance; look; sign; indication
personal combat; one-to-one fight
to distance oneself (from); to keep (something or someone) at a distance; to maintain a distance (from)
advance guard; vanguard; avant-garde (e.g. music)
to work (for); to be employed (at); to serve (as); to act (as); to conduct a religious service
domination; rule; direction; management; control (e.g. over one's emotions); determining (e.g. one's fate)
remnant; fragment; fraction; odd sum; halfway; half-hearted
state of things; state of affairs; condition; situation; circumstances
maintenance; preservation; improvement
gaining time; stalling for time; time-buying
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
to gain an advantage; to enjoy an advantage; to turn the tables (on)
hastily made; improvised preparation
for (e.g. "she dances well for an eight-year old"); considering it's (something or someone)
superior; first-class; excellent; (that's) just fine!; bring it on!
detour; circumvention; turning movement
attack on both sides; pincer movement; double envelopment
way of saying (something); way of putting it; wording; phrasing; language; expression
trusting too much; overestimating ability
the end of the line; the end of the road; curtains
soon; shortly; nearly; almost
tiger cub; one's treasure; precious savings
to choose the best; to select carefully; to handpick
powerful army; strengthening of the military
to throw; to hurl; to give up; to abandon; to cast (a glance, shadow, doubt, etc.)
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
to accompany; to go hand in hand with; to be consequent upon; to be accompanied by; to bring with; to take with
to shed light; to cast light
(rock) crystal; high purity quartz
once; one time; one round; one game; one bout; one heat